Water-regulator for jacketed pumps.



.W. M. AUSTIN.

WATER REGULATOR FOR JAGKET'ED PUMPS.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 11, 1908.

948,471 Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

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wrrNEssEs I 'NVENTOR fiz W Ma UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER M. AUSTIN, OF SWISSVALE, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE WESTING- HOUSE AIR BRAKE COMPANY, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

WATER-REGULATOR FOR JACKETED PUMPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 8, 1910.

Application filed May 11, 1908. Serial No. 432,199.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WALTER M. AUSTIN,

a citizen. of the United States, residing at Swissvale, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented new and useful Improvements in ater-Regulators for J acketed Pumps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a water control valve mechanism for water jacketed pumps or compressors.

Various devices have heretofore been de vised for this purpose, some of which are operated by the steam which actuates the pump and others by electric current where electric current is employed to operate the pump, as in the case of a motor driven air compressor.

It will be seen that a device designed to operate with steam as a motive power cannot be employed with an electrically driven pump while those utilizing the electric current in operation are similarly limited in their field of use. It is highly desirable to provide a device of this character which may be applied to any sort of fluid pressure pump and it is therefore the principal object of my invention to provide an improved water regulating valve mechanism which is capable of being employed with all classes of pumps. For this purpose my invention contemplates the utilization of the flow of compressed fluid from the pump for controlling thewater regulating mechanism, thus rendering the device independent of whatever motive power may be employed in running the pump or compressor.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view of a motor driven air compressor equipment, with my improvements applied thereto, and Fig. 2 a central sectional view of a preferred construction of the water regulating valve mechanism.

A preferred construction of the water regulator is illustrated in Fig.- 2 of the drawing, and comprises a casing 1 having a passage therein through which the fluid compressed by the pump flows, and within which is interposed a movable abutment 2, one side of the abutment being, therefore, subject to the inlet pressure of fluid from the pump.

The abutment 2 is connected by a stem 3 to a valve 4 which controls communication from an inlet water passage 5 to an outlet passage and pipe 6 leading to the water jacket of the pump. The valve is subjected on one side to the pressure of an adjustable spring 7, of sufficient tension to maintain the valve to its seat against the frictional resistance of the parts. The stem 3 may be provided with a packing joint 8 of the ordinary stuffing box construction, as shown, in order to prevent leakage of water from the water outlet space to the abutment 2.

In Fig. l the water regulator is shown connected up with a motor driven air compressor 9 having an air delivery pipe 10 communicating with the inlet passage 11 of the regulator, and a storage reservoir 12 connected by a pipe 13 with the outlet passage 14; of the regulator.

The water supply pipe 6 is connected to the water jacket of the compressor 9 having the usual waste pipe 15.

It will now be apparent that when the compressor or pump is compressing air or other fluid into the pipe 10, the flow of fluid through the air passage of the regulator causes the abutment 2 to move downwardly and communication is thereby opened around said abutment to the passage 14 and thence the fluid flows by way of pipe 18 to the reservoir 12. The movement of the abutment 2 unseats the water valve 4 and permits water to flow from the inlet 5 to the pipe 6 and thence it circulates in the water jacket of the pump.

When the pump is working, a slight difference of pressure is necessarily produced by reason of the abutment 2 being interposed in the air passage, which is sufiicient to maintain the abutment in the open position with the water valve open.

When the pump stops running, the fluid pressure on opposite sides of the piston becomes balanced, so that the spring 7 returns the parts and closes the water valve 4c.

Particularly where my invention is em ployed with pumps delivering fluid in a pulsating flow, another feature of my invention consists in providing means for steadying the movement of the abutment 2- and for preventing possible Vibratory movement thereof. For this purpose I preferably provide a dash pot construction, such as shown in Fig. 2, comprising a piston sec tion 16 having through ports 17 and mounted on the valve stem 18, the ports 17 being provided with a flap valve 19 adapted to open communication through the ports to opposite sides of the piston 16 on the down stroke and close the same on the up stroke. The stem 3 has a snug fit in the piston casing 20 which incloses the piston 16, so that on down strokes of the parts the movement is substantially free, but on the up stroke, the valve 19 closes the ports 17 and the tendency to compress the fluid above the piston prevents the upward movement of the parts except slowly, as the leakage around the stem 3 and piston 16 will permit. Having once been forced down, the abutment therefore tends to remain in that position and maintain the water valve 4 open.

In some pump constructions, a leakage of steam is permitted to the pump when the same is not in active operation, so that the pump continues to make an occasional stroke. Under such conditions the compressed fluid does not heat sufliciently to require the cooling water circulation. In order to prevent the water regulator from operating at this time I may provide a small through port 25 in the abutment 2, of suflicient capacity to take care of such flow of compressed fluid as thus produced. By this means the abutment 2 will not be operated under a light flow of fluid under pres sure and consequently the water valve 4 remains closed.

It will now be evident that as the present regulating valve mechanism is operated by the flow of fluid compressed by the pump and is independent of the pump motive power or the pump governor, the same is adapted for use on various types of pumps.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a water control valve mechanism for water jacketed pumps, the combination with a pump, of means operated by the flow of fluid from the pump for controlling the flow of Water to the water jacket thereof.

2. The combination with a pump for compressing fluid and a water jacket therefor, of means operated by the flow of fluid under pressure from the pump for supplying water to said water jacket.

3. The combination with a pump for compressing fluid and a water jacket therefor, of a movable abutment operated by the flow of fluid under pressure from the pump and a valve actuated by said abutment for controlling the admission of water to the water jacket of the pump.

4. The combination with a pump for compressing fluid and a water jacket therefor, of a valve mechanism operated by the flow of fluid under pressure from the pump for opening communication from the water supply to said water jacket, and means tending to maintain said valve mechanism in the open position.

5. In a fluid pressure pump apparatus, the combination with a pump for compressing fluid under pressure into a receptacle, and a water jacket for said pump, of a valve mechanism operated by the flow of fluid under pressure from the pump to the receptacle for opening communication from a source of water supply to the water jacket, and a dash pot device for retarding the closing movement of said valve mechanism.

6. In a fluid pressure pump apparatus, the combination with a pump for compressing fluid under pressure into a receptacle, and a water jacket for said pump, of a movable abutment interposed in the passage leading from the pump to the receptacle and operated by fluid under pressure from the pump for opening communication from the pump to the receptacle and a valve operated by said abutment for controlling the water supply to said water jacket.

7. The combination with a pump for compressing fluid and a water jacket therefor, of means operated by the flow of fluid under pressure at a predetermined rate from the pump for governing the flow of water to the water jacket.

8. The combination with a pump for compressing fluid and a water jacket therefor, of a movable abutment subject on one side to the pressure of a spring and on the 0pposite side to the flow of fluid under pressure from the pump and having a port for permitting a gradual flow of fluid past the abutment and a valve operated by said abutment upon flow from the pump at a greater rate for supplying water to said water jacket.

9. The combination with a pump for compressing fluid and a water jacket therefor, of valve means for controlling the admission of water to said water jacket and a movable abutment subject to the flow of fluid under pressure from the pump having means adapted to permit a light flow of fluid and operating upon a greater flow of fluid to open said valve means.

10. The combination with a pump, a reservoir into which said pump is adapted to compress fluid, and a Water jacket for the fluid up to a certain rate Without actuating pump, of valve means for governing the adsaid abutment. 10 mission of cooling Water to the Water jacket In testimony whereof I have hereunto set of the pump and a movable abutment govmy hand.

erned by the flow of fluid from the pump to \VALTER M. AUSTIN. the reservoir for operating said valve means, Witnesses: a leakage port being provided. from the R. F. EuERY,

pump to the reservoir to permit flow of WM. M. CADY. 

